1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for attaching a clipboard or writing tablet to the leg of an operator or passenger of a vehicle, airplane, or other mode of conveyance, and particularly to an automotive kneeboard which swivels so that the operator may rotate a writing pad to a convenient angle.
2. Description of the Related Art
While some people have exceptional memories, most people find it helpful to jot down memoranda summarizing detailed information, such as phone numbers, directions, license numbers, time logs, and the like. A problem can arise when the need to make a memo arises when there is no firm writing surface available upon which a writing tablet may be supported. Airplane pilots may need to take notes of navigational, meteorological or other data for their flight log. Cockpit space may be limited, and in some cases a convenient writing surface may not be available and accessible to the pilot while seated at his controls.
Similar problems may affect the operator or passenger of a motor vehicle. Police officers, fire and rescue personnel, security officers, and the like may find it desirable to have a portable clipboard or memo pad available to write down addresses, license numbers, directions, phone numbers, descriptions, and similar information obtained either visually or by radio communications without the necessity of pulling over to write down the information. Commercial truck drivers may need to maintain time or mileage information for their logs. With the proliferation of cellular phones for mobile communications, many individuals people conduct business calls with their offices and with customers while driving.
Even when not mobile, a portable memo pad may be handy. Reporters, reviewers, and students may attend lectures, conferences, movies, or theaters where it would be helpful to take notes, but where facilities for supporting a writing pad are limited or absent.
Various devices have been developed to remedy this problem. U.S. Design Pat. No. 257,589, issued Dec. 2, 1980 to R. W. Shaffert, shows a steering wheel desk which has a flat plate with a clip on its top edge, the thickness of the plate sloping towards thin from top to bottom, and having a circular recess on its bottom surface which appears adapted for circumferentially resting the plate about a steering wheel. U.S. Design Pat. No. 315,456, issued Mar. 19, 1991 to Couch, et al., shows a lap desk which looks like a plate with a top hinged to the bottom along its top edge for storage of pads, pencils, etc.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 353,275, issued Dec. 13, 1994 to F. J. Longhurst, shows an automobile desk with a pair of flat plates having a clip at the top and an elongated swivel shaft or pivot pin at the bottom center of the two plates. U.S. Design Pat. No. 359,398, issued Jun. 20, 1995 to G. M. Jaykus, a table for use in a motor vehicle which appears to have a pair of side plates pivotally attached to a top plate which is hinged to a bottom plate along an edge, so that the unit may be folded for compact storage.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 360,318, issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Kinnard, Sr., et al., shows a steering wheel desk with front and rear plates hinged together having a projection to one side of the rear plate supporting a lamp mounted on a rod, and two pins at the back of the rear plate which pivot to lock the table to the steering wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 2,701,173, issued Feb. 1, 1955 to Senior, et al., teaches a board for pilots having a spring clip at the top and a saddle riveted to the bottom side, and includes an elastic band fixedly attached to one side of the saddle and releasably attached to the other side of the saddle for strapping the board to the pilot's leg, the length of the band being adjusted by a buckle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,685, issued Feb. 1, 1966 to Wilstein, et al., describes a pilot's knee board with a top half and a bottom half attached by a screw, the top half having a clip. The bottom half is attached to a plastic panel which is strapped to the pilot's leg, the bottom half being attached to the plastic panel by a single bevel head screw so the board can rotate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,249, issued Jan. 6, 1981 to H. C. Goss, discloses a document holder assembly having a carrier plate with a first clip along a top edge and a second clip along a side edge, a base plate with a concave undersurface to fit around the thigh, and a strap which is fastened by "pile fabric" and a "pad of plastic hooks". The carrier plate swivels on the base plate, being connected either by a screw or by a stud.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,932, issued Feb. 27, 1990 to I. Stewart, Jr., describes a tablet holder secured to the thigh of a user by a strap with a Velcro.RTM. fastener. The tablet has a pivoting mechanism attaching the tablet to the strap which includes cylindrical upper and lower sleeves, the upper sleeve having either ribs or pins which engage either grooves or indentations in the lower sleeve to lock the tablet after rotation, the sleeves having a central pivot pin connected to a hub. U.K. Patent No. 1,550,899, published Aug. 22, 1979, describes a shelf for mounting to a steering wheel for eating when the vehicle is stationary, the shelf being attached to a mounting plate having a pair of hooks which hook onto the steering wheel above its diameter so that the mounting plate hangs from the steering wheel.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed, i.e., a kneeboard made from lightweight plastic with a writing pad which swivels 360.degree., a pivotally mounted hook for storage on the steering wheel, and a base having a "living hinge" to adjust the width of the pad base to accommodate different size thighs. Thus a swiveling automotive kneeboard solving the aforementioned problems is desired.